The invention relates to the field of holders for containers. The holders are container mounted holders releasably attachable to a horizontal extending support, such as a ladder rung and the like.
Many different types of paint can holders have been used in the past and in the present. Some are made out of metal, plastic, rubber, rope, twine or cloth and hung from an extension ladder step and attached to the handle of a paint can that may contain a paint, stain, varnish, shellac and the like. These existing devices, whether bought from a supplier or retailer, or made by an individual themselves, hold a paint can to, and from, an extension ladder step. They all have one deficiency in common, namely, it is difficult to get a paint brush or roller into the hanging paint can. The handle must be repeatedly moved or the paint can itself must be moved to allow an easier access to the material inside the paint can.
Emery in U.S. Pat. No. 1,024,841 discloses a bail for a paint bucket inclined slightly toward the back of the bucket for the purpose of holding the bucket slightly forward or toward the person using the bucket to facilitate the insertion and removal of a paint brush from the bucket.
Tattrie in U.S. Pat. No. 3,204,907 discloses a paint can hanger having an arcuate section that curves around the rim of a paint can and a top section that engages the wire handle mounted to opposite sides of the can.
Tibbs in U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,293 discloses a can holder having a handle having a hook engageable with the bail of a can. The length of the handle can be varied to vary the angular relation of the can to the horizontal when the can is suspended by a S-hook.
Hunt el al in U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,623 disclose a paint bucket holder having an ear component that is manually grasped to facilitate movement of a paint bucket between ladder rungs without removing the bail of the bucket from hook.
The invention comprises a container holder useable to suspend a container from a horizontal support in a forwardly inclined position and hold the bail of the container rearwardly from the open top of the container allowing free and easy access to the material, such as paint, varnish, stain, inside of the container. The holder has a first body portion and a second body portion. The first body portion has a downwardly extending hook member adapted to accommodate a horizontal support member, such as a rung of a ladder. The first body portion has a groove adapted to accommodate a bail pivotally mounted on the upright side wall of a container having an open top. The second body member has an upwardly extending hook member adapted to engage the inwardly directed rim joined to the side wall of the container and the inside surface of the side wall thereby suspending the container in a forwardly inclined position from the horizontal support and holding the bail rearwardly from the open top of the container.